Putin's former 'puppet master' urges an end to mercenary groups like Wagner

Chris

Chris

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Putin's former 'puppet master' urges an end to mercenary groups like Wagner
Vladislav Surkov, once known as the Kremlin’s ‘puppet master’ by friends and foes alike, said "private military companies" were an idea imported from the US, created to engage in proxy wars.
By REUTERS

President Vladimir Putin's former chief strategist on Monday urged an end to mercenary groups in Russia after a mutiny by Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner militia, cautioning that they interfered with the chain of command. Vladislav Surkov, once known as the Kremlin’s ‘puppet master’ by friends and foes alike, said "private military companies" were an idea imported from the US, created to engage in proxy wars.

"How can a military unit be private in our understanding? This is completely inconsistent with Russian political, managerial and military culture," Surkov, who left the Kremlin in 2020, said in an interview published by his associate Alexei Chesnakov.

more............. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-747785
 
athenasius

athenasius

Well-Known Member
I've been observing this situation unfold. It's certainly "fluid" and I expect more rapid changes to occur.

I really miss talking to my late Russian father in law. The Russian insiders I listen to, one of which was an analyst for the CIA, born and raised in Russia and the other is an expatriate who fled when the invasion of Ukraine happened have both had stuff to say.

People like this Vladislav Surkov who are part of the shadow govt --the cabal behind the scenes, who give orders to Putin-- they are rarely seen or heard from.

Putin is the face they put in front, but they are the real power in the Kremlin. It's a group of current and former KGB/FSB officers who formed a working group to retake power first in the Kremlin, then around the globe after the last sudden power shift in the Kremlin when Gorbachev was replaced by Yeltsin, who was then replaced by Putin and under Putin, Russia began it's slow rise back up to a world power again.

My father in law watched the news out of Russia over the years, he knew people, and some books were written, which he analyzed and critiqued and we discussed. He had a few he thought were pulling the strings.

It was his opinion that the people BEHIND Putin were far more dangerous than Putin ever was and that is actually saying a lot. I don't recall who was part of the group but he sounds a bit like he might be. Whether or not he is, he is speaking for the group.

For Surkov to actually come out and comment --means that the group is getting ready for a change of leadership. They were quite happy with Wagner when it was working well for Russia. Now it's a weakness and they are voicing displeasure. Kiss of death for Putin.

Another point

Why was Lukashenko used as the one to help negotiate between Putin and Prigozhin? That springs to the eye a bit.

Lukashenko doesn't sneeze without permission from Putin! Let alone act decisively in a high stakes rapidly evolving situation.

Time will tell with this Russian brawling behind the scenes. Whatever else is going on this hasn't been good for Putin long term.

Putin is looking weak. Russia doesn't like a weak leader, they prefer a "strongman" type. With a side of cruelty and decisiveness.

That Russian expat also thinks Generals Shoigu and Gerasimov will be ousted for poor performance in Ukraine. Putin will need someone to blame now that he can't shove the bad news out of Ukraine under the rug so the Russian people remain ignorant of the actual Russian death toll and costs.

And that means Putin might sink with them, because of his former close ties to Prigozhin and Wagner group and how much the army and those 2 generals can blame on Wagner group and Putin's leadership.

Aside from all this a couple of even more interesting things stood out.

Both remind me that The Restrainer continues to RESTRAIN evil till we are taken up!

1: The day or two prior to the Wagner group insurrection, Putin was dialing UP the nuclear rhetoric, threatening to bring his bigger nukes to the table. Suddenly he is embroiled in a more urgent situation than nuking Ukrainians and threatening NATO. Restrained for now.

2: Biblical history shows that God often has an enemy army turn on each other. Maybe we saw just that in action. It sure would explain the confusion and also the strange turn of events with Prigozhin who had the upper hand, and inexplicably stopped advancing on Moscow. He gave away his every advantage, and quite probably signed his own death warrant by doing so. It was either him or Putin that would survive when he started out, and he knew this perfectly well. Yet he went ahead, and then stopped halfway there, with every advantage going his way.

Plus we all got to see who supported Putin and Russia when the chips were down.

Iran and the mullahs-- Gog Magog alliances are getting stronger. Whether Putin is in power by years end or not, we are seeing a continual strengthening of the Gog Magog group.

And the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov whose Muslim Chechens were mobilizing to face off with the Wagner group. Again, those Muslim ties within the Gog Magog group are getting stronger.
 
Wally

Wally

Its all about Jesus and your relationship with Him
Perhaps Wagner will work out a supply contract with Belarus and then attack towards Kiev.

Nothing like having nukes to stop or retaliate for any preemptive strike on Wagner troops "practicing" - preparing an offensive at the border.
 
athenasius

athenasius

Well-Known Member
DanLMP said:
Just regarding the mercenary groups: I don't see these going away yet in Russia. They provide plausible deniability to any actions Putin or any future Putins might want to make.
Click to expand...
I agree. The Chechen fighters under Kadyrov and his brother in law?? Delimkhanov, are something of a case in point. The leaders and their troops are part of the Russian parliament and army yet they seem to operate more like Wagner-- separate from the main army. They've been used in the Ukraine conflict and the Crimea annexation before that.

They were public in their support of Putin and critical of Wagner and Prigozhin, and had mobilized towards Prigozhin's Wagner group when things suddenly stopped in Rostov-On-Don.

For a time I wondered if the threat of the Chechens was part of what stopped Prigozhin but it doesn't add up. Mind you nothing does. Including everything Lukashenko says.

Kadyrov has built his own army which are technically part of the Russian Army but operate separately
explained here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadyrovites

and as recently as Feb 19, 23 in Reuters and March 1 of 23 in the Moscow Times (May Day, a big day for the army in Russia) he was quoted as saying He wants to build his own army like Wagner. So far nothing from the Kremlin on that, but big denunciations of Wagner.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europ...n-my-own-private-military-company-2023-02-19/
and
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023...o-create-international-mercenary-force-a80997

Both articles were given this spring, before Wagner group went too far in Kadyrov's point of view. He has since distanced himself from Wagner and Prigozhin, but not from the idea of controlling his own mercenary army to "free oppressed people" any where in the world. Translation-- that means he will go enforce Sharia anywhere that Muslims aren't in control. He is a rabid Muslim.
 
Armor of Light

Armor of Light

Praising my Savior all the day long!
Personally I do not trust any news coming from any country, including our own. For all we know this Wagner group clash with Putin/Moscow could have been or is a way to reveal to Putin who he can trust in the many levels of Russian military leadership and the leadership levels of Wagner and maybe other mercenary groups involved. About a week or so ago I heard that some people in key positions close to Putin are "gone" ?, maybe an attempted coop or just appearance of one to smoke out undesirables?
 
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